unorthodox jew, I don't know who you are. I am a survivor of a child molester who you have posted a comment about. I have been suffering for decades because of this man and NO One in the frum community seems to know anything about his past but you. Is there any way I can contact you privately???

i might have posted the same comment on a different blog. I can only speak for myself but I suspect that others think like me. My only problem with the orthodox world is MY PROBLEM. I am not frum yet, I chose to live in their world

You are such a prolific writer, why do you stain your great articles with name callings? Please stop referring to the founder of chasidim as a Forest Ranger. It is motzee shem rah and it does not make you look better in anyone's eyes. I happen to love your BLOGS. Please stop the Forest Ranger thing, it hurts to hear someone call my great grandfather (10 gen) a Forest Ranger.

Dear Peace & Carrots,I do not like vegetables,but I will make an exception in your case.Thankyou for your compliments.I am just an insecure Jewish boy,who has the need to express my true sentiments via satire.Please do not take offense,you sound like you come from a good family.One Forest Ranger in ten generations is not too bad.

UN-ORTHODOX JEW writes: "I was privileged to get a wonderful education"

APPARENTLY YOUR WONDERFUL EDUCATION EXCLUDED THE LEARNING OF "SHMIRAS HALASHON"---THE ONLY THING YOU SEEM TO EXCELL IN ON THIS BLOG IS LASHON HARAH

IT'S QUITE AMAZING THAT UNDER YOUR "FAVORITE BOOKS" (IN YOUR PROFILE)--YOU DARE TO WRITE THE NAMES OF OUR HOLY TEACHINGS, WHEN YOU CONTRADICT THEIR VERY TEACHINGS WITH YOUR HATEFUL WRITINGS ON THIS BLOG

YOU NOTE THAT THE RAMBAM IS ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS:

LOOK IN RAMBAM: HILCHOS TALMUD TORAH, TO SEE WHAT ETERNAL PUNISHMENT YOU WILL FACE FOR PUBLICLY BEING MEVAZEH TALMEDI CHACHMIM

AFTER YOU REVIEW WHAT PUNISHMENTS ARE RECEIVED FOR YOUR SINFULL ACTIONS, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU ATTEMPT TO FIX THE DAMAGE THAT YOU HAVE CAUSED OTHERS (AND ON AN ETERNAL LEVEL, YOURSELF):

1)PUBLICLY BEG FOR FORGIVENESS FROM THE GEDOLIM THAT YOU HAVE PUBLICLY SHAMED

2)DELETE THIS BLOG

PLEASE TAKE THESE WORDS TO HEART AND DONT JUST ENLARGE THE EVIL THAT YOU HAVE THUSFAR COMMITED, BY SHRUGING OFF THIS "MOCHAH" FROM A SHOCKED AND APPALED FELLOW JEW

UN-ORTHODOX JEW writes: "I was privileged to get a wonderful education"

APPARENTLY YOUR WONDERFUL EDUCATION EXCLUDED THE LEARNING OF "SHMIRAS HALASHON"---THE ONLY THING YOU SEEM TO EXCELL IN ON THIS BLOG IS LASHON HARAH

IT'S QUITE AMAZING THAT UNDER YOUR "FAVORITE BOOKS" (IN YOUR PROFILE)--YOU DARE TO WRITE THE NAMES OF OUR HOLY TEACHINGS, WHEN YOU CONTRADICT THEIR VERY TEACHINGS WITH YOUR HATEFUL WRITINGS ON THIS BLOG

YOU NOTE THAT THE RAMBAM IS ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS:

LOOK IN RAMBAM: HILCHOS TALMUD TORAH, TO SEE WHAT ETERNAL PUNISHMENT YOU WILL FACE FOR PUBLICLY BEING MEVAZEH TALMEDI CHACHMIM

AFTER YOU REVIEW WHAT PUNISHMENTS ARE RECEIVED FOR YOUR SINFULL ACTIONS, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU ATTEMPT TO FIX THE DAMAGE THAT YOU HAVE CAUSED OTHERS (AND ON AN ETERNAL LEVEL, YOURSELF):

1)PUBLICLY BEG FOR FORGIVENESS FROM THE GEDOLIM THAT YOU HAVE PUBLICLY SHAMED

2)DELETE THIS BLOG

PLEASE TAKE THESE WORDS TO HEART AND DONT JUST ENLARGE THE EVIL THAT YOU HAVE THUSFAR COMMITED, BY SHRUGING OFF THIS "MOCHAH" FROM A SHOCKED AND APPALED FELLOW JEW

3:13 PM "How evil is the one that attempts to impede his fellow Jew from repenting!

Instead of attempting to lure a fellow jew (who may have decided to rectify a terrible deed),why don't you read the clear Torah sources given above--

I will post a translation of the laws, so those that do not understand hebrew (or don't have access to a Rambam), can see how clearly the Torah states the sinful nature of the content on this blog, and the terrible punishments that the ones responsible must eventually face.

RAMBAM:HILCHOS DE'OT:CHAPTER 7: LAWS:1-4

LAW 1)"A PERSON WHO COLLECTS GOSSIP ABOUT A COLLEAGUE VIOLATES A PROHIBITION AS IT SAYS IN LEVITCUS (19:16): "DO NOT GO AROUND GOSSIPING AMONG THE PEOPLE". EVEN THOUGH THIS TRANSGRESSION IS NOT PUNISHED BY LASHES, IT IS SEVERE SIN AND CAN CAUSE THE DEATH OF MANY JEWS. THEREFORE, THE TORAH PLACES IT NEXT TO THE VERSE: "DO NOT STAND STILL OVER YOUR NEIGHBOR'S BLOOD"."

LAW 2)"WHO IS A GOSSIPER? ONE WHO COLLECTS INFORMATION AND THEN GOES FROM PERSON TO PERSON, SAYING "THAT IS WHAT SO AND SO SAID;" "THIS IS WHAT I HEARD ABOUT SO AND SO." EVEN IF THE STATEMENTS ARE TRUE, THEY BRING ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION OF THE WORLD.THERE IS A MUCH MORE SERIOUS SIN THAN GOSSIP, WHICH IS ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS PROHIBTION: LASHON HARAH-RELATING DEPRECATING FACTS ABOUT A COLLEAGUE, EVEN IF IT IS TRUE. LASHON HARAH DOES NOT REFFER TO THE INVENTION OF LIES, THAT IS REFFERED TO AS DEFAMATION OF CHARACTER. RATHER ONE WHO SPEAKS LASHON HARAH IS SOMEONE WHO SITS AND RELATES: "THIS IS WHAT SO AND SO HAS DONE;" "HIS PARENTS WERE SUCH AND SUCH;" "THIS IS WHAT I HEARD ABOUT HIM," TELLING UNCOMPLIMENTARY THINGS.CONCERNING THIS, THE VERSE (PSALMS 12:4) STATES: "MAY G-D CUT OFF ALL GUILEFUL LIPS, THE TONGUES WHICH SPEAK PROUD THINGS"."

LAW 3)"OUR SAGES SAID: "THERE ARE THREE SINS FOR WHICH RETRIBUTION IS EXACTED FROM A PERSON IN THIS WORLD AND, HE IS DENIED A PORTION IN THE WORLD TO COME: IDOL WORSHIP, FORBIDDEN SEXUAL RELATIONS,AND MURDER. LASHON HARAH IS EQUIVALENT TO ALL OF THEM." OUR SAGES ALSO SAID: "ANYONE WHO SPEAKS LASHON HARAH IS LIKE ONE WHO DENIES G-D, AS IT SAYS (PSALMS 12:5): "THOSE WHO SAID:WHITH OUR TONGUES WE WILL PREVAIL; OUR LIPS ARE OUR OWN. WHO IS THE G-D OVER US?" IN ADDITION, THEY SAID "LASHON HARAH KILLS THREE PEOPLE, THE ONE WHO SPEAKS IT, THE ONE WHO LISTENS TO IT, AND THE ONE ABOUT WHOM IT IS SPOKEN. THE ONE WHO LISTENS TO IT SUFFERS MORE THAN THE ONE WHO SPEAKS IT."

LAW 4)"THERE ARE CERTAIN MATTERS WHICH ARE CONSIDERED "THE DUST OF LASHON HARAH." WHAT IS IMPLIED? FOR EXAMPLE, IF A PERSON SAYS "WHO WILL TELL SO AND SO TO CONTINUE ACTING AS HE DOES NOW" OR "DO NOT TALK ABOUT SO AND SO; I DO NOT WANT TO SAY WHAT HAPPENED," OR THE LIKE..."-----------------------------------RAMBAM:HILCHOS TALMUD TORAH:CHAPTER 6: LAW 11

LAW 11) "IT IS A GREAT SIN TO DISGRACE TORAH SAGES OR TO HATE THEM. JERUSALEM WAS NOT DESTROYED UNTIL PEOPLE DISGRACED ITS SAGES, AS IMPLIED BY (CHRONICLES II 36:16): "AND THEY WOULD MOCK THE MESSENGERS OF G-D, DESPISE HIS WORDS, AND SCOFF AT HIS PROPHETS"-THEY WOULD SCORN THOSE THAT TAUGHT THE WORD OF G-D. SIMILARLY, THE TORAH'S PROPHECY (LEVITCUS 26:16): "IF YOU DESPISE MY STATUTES" MEANS: "IF YOU DESPISE THE TEACHERS OF MY STATUTES". WHOEVER DISGRACES THE SAGES HAS NO PORTION IN THE WORLD TO COME AND IS INCLUDED IN THE CATEGORY: "THOSE WHO SCORN THE WORLD OF G-D"(NUMBERS 15:31)"

Is it not scandalous to be charging for bread? For lodging? For teaching Torah?

Money is the medium through which our societies over centuries have shown their appreciation for people's actions in this world. We reward those we like with money, we withhold money from those we dislike and they disappear.

If you think a particular righteous person, man or woman, is a good influence in your life, you'd want them to be able to continue, and one surefire way to do it is by helping them financially. Money in our tradition is a good thing, we are encouraged to spend it in wise and creative ways.

Your own attitude, saying that there are some human endeavors which may be soiled if they were rewarded monitarily, is very Christian. We say, Kessef me'ta'her mamzerim money cleanses even bastards (Kidushin 71a).

They hold that in order to become good and close to God one must abstain from pleasures. We say, get closer to God THROUGH the pkeasures.

We say that one of the fundamental prerequisits for prophecy is wealth. If a new Kohen Godol was poor, a collection was taken up, to make him rich.

Would you then complain, How scandalous, they give millions to the new Kohen Godol --?

i can not understand how people can write comments that attempt to make light of the rambam's words (or have the audacity to attempt to use misused terms from the torah, to attempt to accomplish this)that were posted above--all i can see is a heartfelt cry from a fellow jew who wishes to bring the words of the torah to the author/readers on this site-- so to end the terrible, grave sins that were committed till now

after reading the above comments i feel that I, along with every jew that comes to this site, must beg the author to remove the contents of this blog--so the author and the rest of the jewish world (as the translation above stated), will not be forced to face the terrible consequences that the torah so clearly states

...please...

we are all beleiving jews who accepted the torah by sinai--please do not ignore these clear writings of the torah!

i can not understand how people can write comments that attempt to make light of the rambam's words (or have the audacity to attempt to use misused terms from the torah, to attempt to accomplish this)that were posted above--all i can see is a heartfelt cry from a fellow jew who wishes to bring the words of the torah to the author/readers on this site-- so to end the terrible, grave sins that were committed till now

after reading the above comments i feel that I, along with every jew that comes to this site, must beg the author to remove the contents of this blog--so the author and the rest of the jewish world (as the translation above stated), will not be forced to face the terrible consequences that the torah so clearly states

...please...

we are all beleiving jews who accepted the torah by sinai--please do not ignore these clear writings of the torah!

What did you prove with that? The fact that one individual chooses to forgo money does not suspend the monetary basis of our human system.

I think your problem is that you're way too sentimental about this. If a Brocha is a commodity, and I have one, I can charge for it. If you're Christian maybe this pisses you off. But a Yid says every Pesach Illu natan lanu at mamonam.

You are so naive!Don't you get it?ANYONE THAT "CHARGES" FOR BRACHOS,THEIR BRACHOS ARE MEANINGLESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!ARE YOU COMPARING GASHMIUS WITH RUCHNAIS?VEAL STEAK WITH TEFILLOS AND BROCHOS?Donations after the fact is one thing,PAY UP FRONT FOR TEFILLOS AND BROCHOS?????THOSE GUYS SHOULD BE THROWN IN JAIL FOR FRAUD!And you should GROW UP!

"Un-Orthodox Jew said... You are so naive!Don't you get it?ANYONE THAT "CHARGES" FOR BRACHOS,THEIR BRACHOS ARE MEANINGLESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!ARE YOU COMPARING GASHMIUS WITH RUCHNAIS?VEAL STEAK WITH TEFILLOS AND BROCHOS?Donations after the fact is one thing,PAY UP FRONT FOR TEFILLOS AND BROCHOS?????THOSE GUYS SHOULD BE THROWN IN JAIL FOR FRAUD!And you should GROW UP!

7:11 AM "

Anonymous said...

"LAW 2)"WHO IS A GOSSIPER? ONE WHO COLLECTS INFORMATION AND THEN GOES FROM PERSON TO PERSON, SAYING "THAT IS WHAT SO AND SO SAID;" "THIS IS WHAT I HEARD ABOUT SO AND SO." EVEN IF THE STATEMENTS ARE TRUE, THEY BRING ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION OF THE WORLD.THERE IS A MUCH MORE SERIOUS SIN THAN GOSSIP, WHICH IS ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS PROHIBTION: LASHON HARAH-RELATING DEPRECATING FACTS ABOUT A COLLEAGUE, EVEN IF IT IS TRUE. LASHON HARAH DOES NOT REFFER TO THE INVENTION OF LIES, THAT IS REFFERED TO AS DEFAMATION OF CHARACTER. RATHER ONE WHO SPEAKS LASHON HARAH IS SOMEONE WHO SITS AND RELATES: "THIS IS WHAT SO AND SO HAS DONE;" "HIS PARENTS WERE SUCH AND SUCH;" "THIS IS WHAT I HEARD ABOUT HIM," TELLING UNCOMPLIMENTARY THINGS.CONCERNING THIS, THE VERSE (PSALMS 12:4) STATES: "MAY G-D CUT OFF ALL GUILEFUL LIPS, THE TONGUES WHICH SPEAK PROUD THINGS"."

LAW 3)"OUR SAGES SAID: "THERE ARE THREE SINS FOR WHICH RETRIBUTION IS EXACTED FROM A PERSON IN THIS WORLD AND, HE IS DENIED A PORTION IN THE WORLD TO COME: IDOL WORSHIP, FORBIDDEN SEXUAL RELATIONS,AND MURDER. LASHON HARAH IS EQUIVALENT TO ALL OF THEM." OUR SAGES ALSO SAID: "ANYONE WHO SPEAKS LASHON HARAH IS LIKE ONE WHO DENIES G-D, AS IT SAYS (PSALMS 12:5): "THOSE WHO SAID:WHITH OUR TONGUES WE WILL PREVAIL; OUR LIPS ARE OUR OWN. WHO IS THE G-D OVER US?" IN ADDITION, THEY SAID "LASHON HARAH KILLS THREE PEOPLE, THE ONE WHO SPEAKS IT, THE ONE WHO LISTENS TO IT, AND THE ONE ABOUT WHOM IT IS SPOKEN. THE ONE WHO LISTENS TO IT SUFFERS MORE THAN THE ONE WHO SPEAKS IT."

For some reason you feel compelled to accompany your commnets in our discussion with a call for me to grow up. It seems to me that it's you who is captive in an adolescent, romantic perception of a duality, with spiritual things on one side and "gashmius" on the other. If the Besht taught us nothing else, he redeemed us of the ascetic impulse to disregard gashmius. Indeed, we are taught by all our chassidishe masters since to worship God THROUGH gashmius. Hiskadesh Bamutar lach.

When you come to see a rebbe, the shamash takes down your name and your mother's and all your dear ones. For this you give him a schar tircha. What, he doesn't pay rent? His electricity comes free? What Hollywood fantasy did you come from?